


Friends Make Recovery Easier

by Centeris2



Series: Poly Pile [8]
Category: Star Stable
Genre: Gen, Poly Pile AU, Rebecca Has Friends AU, or else., rated for language and a lot of internalized homophobia, there will be healing and recovery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-07-27 10:35:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16217258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Centeris2/pseuds/Centeris2
Summary: Junior has a bad day. Scott processes trauma and begins recovery. Rebecca exacts petty revenge. Valdemar is up to something.





	1. Chapter 1

Junior wanted to strangle that girl, and he still didn’t know that bitch’s name. It was all her fault! Daddy had been so angry at him, screaming awful things and making Junior stand close enough to beat with his cane. 

And Scott was gone. 

AND Junior had thrown Daddy’s last jar of honey to knock Scott out, so he was also in trouble for that and had to go down to Pamela’s and get more honey. Fuck. At least he wouldn’t have to do that until tomorrow morning, it was very late and Junior was very tired. 

At least he finally got laid. Junior wouldn’t mind doing that again, it was so much better getting off in a person than masturbating. Maybe Pamela? He was a Buttergood, he could throw his weight around…

Not that it had worked previously on anyone in Crescent Moon Village, or New Hillcrest. He might actually have to drug or kidnap someone in order to get laid. But this wasn’t the good old days when the Buttergoods had total authority over the commoners. Junior would need to work on buying the police department or he’d have to be very sneaky to not get into legal trouble. Daddy wouldn’t like legal trouble.

What would have been a horrific topic to anyone else helped Junior relax and fall asleep, dreaming of kidnapping and terrorizing the locals. 

Valdemar, meanwhile, was having very different thoughts. One of the greatest assets of the Buttergoods was their long and established history in Jorvik, and with that centuries of family stories. Junior may be too blind to realize what that girl was, but Valdemar recognized her from stories. And if he was right she could be invaluable to him.

Shame Junior had to be a brute with the tact of a sledgehammer. 

The old man slowly moved about his room, a glorious master bedroom (of course), while scanning the bookshelves. The books contained all manner of things, but he was looking for the records of his family. Buttergoods had many talents, and thankfully at least one in every generation was interested in recording events. If they didn’t record it themselves they paid someone else to write it all down. 

Ah, Heinrich Buthergod, there it was. A few centuries old, before the family name changed to its current day version. One could tell how far back the ancestor was based on what the family name was. 

But Valdemar wasn’t interested in family name history, interesting though it was, and pulled out the first volume written by Heinrich Buthergod, sometime in the 1600s. He vaguely remembered where to look, he had read or at least skimmed the entire family history over his lifetime. Luckily he would not need to reread the volume, he knew he was looking for an illustration that had ingredients of a recipe.

In the morning he would have to send Junior out to hunt down what he needed. He hoped the shop would still be open. Payment could be a problem though, and he had to devise a way to get the girl to help him. She clearly had a soft spot for Scott, there had to be a way to exploit that.


	2. Chapter 2

Scott had woken early, shaking from nightmares. He was reluctant to speak much, though Rebecca couldn’t tell if it was anger or embarrassment that made him so quiet. He scowled when she told him their friends had gotten all of his stuff out of the toolshed, not knowing what to feel. But he went along with the plan of heading to the bangalow, riding off on Dawn as the sun rose. He didn’t ask why Rebecca wasn’t coming along now, he desperately wanted to be alone and being near her hurt.

Rebecca, glad he was off to safety, got to work on petty revenge. 

Pamela wasn’t thrilled to be woken shortly after daybreak, but after Rebecca shoved a wad of money into her hands for all of her honey she wasn’t so fussy. A few hundred shillings made before breakfast? That makes for a good day.

Next was Ms. Drake.

The businesswoman was surprised that Rebecca met her before even arriving at the office, hot coffee ready.

“You’re here early,” Ms. Drake commented, walking up the stairs of Jarlaheim sipping the offered drink.

“I have something to discuss with you,” Rebecca explained.

“Oh?” Ms. Drake smirked, “coffee does not earn you a raise.”

“Actually it has to do with southern Harvest County operations,” Rebecca explained, dismounting and following Ms. Drake into the GED office building.

“Oh?” now Ms. Drake was curious.

“You tasked the Buttergood family with building a bridge from their property to New Hillcrest, correct?”

“It would make transportation easier, has there been progress?” Ms. Drake asked, taking a seat.

“No, I do believe Junior Buttergood is purposely sabotaging you.” There was silence and a death glare. Rebecca knew the glare wasn’t meant for her, but at the news of a possible traitor.

“Oh?” Ms. Drake said with a short and crisp vowel.

“Junior Buttergood assigned his younger brother to build the bridge, turns out it was as punishment knowing his brother could not complete it,” Rebecca explained, relaxing into a chair.

“Why not?”

“Oh the usual superstitious things, apparently that area is cursed. The real reason though is because his brother has no sort of engineering or architectural experience. He may know which end of a hammer to hold, but building a structure meant to hold up heavy machinery? No clue,” it wasn’t a lie, Scott didn’t know the first thing about building a bridge, least of all a bridge meant to hold something heavier than a person.

Ms. Drake looked positively murderous. First her own employees weren’t making progress, now her business partners were willfully not making progress.

“I know a builder,” Rebecca mentioned in the silence, “the one who repaired the bridge connecting Harvest County to Silverglade, and the one to South Hoof from New Hillcrest.”

“What will he cost?” Ms. Drake grumbled, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“I’ll keep it cheap, he owes me a favor. There may be enough supplies already there to construct it,” Rebecca reassured her, Ms. Drake sighing in relief and draining her coffee.

“Want anything to go with your second cup? Maybe something with honey?” Rebecca asked with a naughty smirk, pulling out a jar of honey from her bag.

“Why do you have a jar of honey?” Ms. Drake asked, surprised.

“It’s the type Junior Buttergood always buys,” Rebecca smirked.

“He pissed you off?”

“Oh yes,” Rebecca grinned, teeth clenched in rage. Ms. Drake smiled with pride.

“For you, I will eat honey,” Ms. Drake promised.

“Revenge is sweet, isn’t it?” Rebecca teased, Ms. Drake snorting.

“Just don’t put it in my coffee,” Ms. Drake warned. Rebecca nodded and departed to get some pastries and more coffee, leaving a jar of honey on the desk.


	3. Chapter 3

Pamela was out of honey. How the FUCK was she out of honey!? Someone had bought her entire stock that morning. HOW. It was barely morning!

Great, now Junior would have to explain to Daddy that he wouldn’t be getting more of Pamela’s honey for another week when Pamela had more to harvest. And Daddy wanted him to go into the city to find some random place he had never heard of with a list he wasn’t even allowed to look at. What was that all about? Did Daddy not trust him anymore?

Fine, Junior would prove himself to Daddy again. After destroying Scott’s shit.

The toolshed was empty. 

Who the FUCK had come out here in the middle of the night to get all of Scott’s shit from the toolshed?! And how? He hadn’t heard a car, but it would have taken more than one trip on foot or on horseback. There weren’t any marks from cart wheels either. 

Fucking shits wanted to trespass on his land? Fine. He’d make Ms. Drake pay for beefed up security. She’d have to, it was leased to GED after all, if she wanted to protect her own interests she’d pay for it.

Jarlaheim first, then Jorvik City.

Unfortunately the GED employees around Jarlaheim had no idea who he was, and it took a great deal longer than it should have to get into Ms. Drake’s office to complain.

She gave him a dismissive glare, not interested in him interrupting her work at all. 

“What?” she snapped, trying to remember who he was.

“Ms. Drake, there is an emergency at Buttergood Hill,” he began, her eyes lighting up. Ah yes, this was Junior Buttergood. She rarely dealt with the Buttergoods directly, normally it was over the phone or email, or by proxy.

“Ah, yes, I’ve heard,” she said, relaxing a bit. Fool, coming into her lair.

“You’ve… so you’ll bump up security?” Junior said hopefully. She blinked.

“Why would I do that?”

“Because there are trespassers running amok through my property! No doubt they are the ones sabotaging your operations, they even destroyed and looted a toolshed just last night!” Junior explained, wondering how she could possibly not want to protect her business.

“Leave the security measures to me, how is the bridge?” she changed topics. She’d have Rebecca verify if additional security was necessary, she didn’t want to waste money.

“Bridge?”

“Yes, the one you promised your family would build, I have received no reports,” she asked, waiting to pounce.

“My brother has made no progress, he is lazy and continually runs off, not to mention stupid…” Junior shifted the blame, not liking how she was looking at him with a sparkle in her eyes. She knew something.

“Ah, your brother is to blame? I’ll be sure he never builds another bridge again. Tell me, what guild does he belong to? I wish to file a formal report,” she demanded, Junior going pale.

“He, uh, doesn’t belong to a guild, as such…” Junior muttered.

“Then who did he train under?” Junior glanced away and Ms. Drake pushed, “or did you assign an uneducated moron to build the bridge?”

“It’s not that hard to build a bridge-”

“You mean to say that you,” Ms. Drake stood up, hands pressed against her desk, “assigned someone unable to perform the task? May I remind you that bridge will need to hold heavy machinery weighing tons? And that GED is subsidizing the construction of that bridge?”

“Oh who cares! If he just followed simple instructions-”

“GED cares a great deal about a breach in contract and embezzlement,” Junior stopped at her threat, realizing he was cornered. Fuck. GED might be able to weasel their way in and take Butter Hill over this, they had more money and connections. Daddy was not going to be happy about this.

“Ms. Drake? Your coffee and breakfast,” that girl’s voice! Junior snapped his head back to the door, shocked to see her there.

“Her! She’s the one ruining everything!” Junior started, pointing an accusing finger. Rebecca stared at him in bewilderment.

“Thank you, Miss Lightknight,” Ms. Drake said pleasantly, patting a clear spot on her desk and opening the jar of honey.

“I’ve seen her sneaking around, doing stuff to the equipment, and she keeps distracting my brother from his work!” Junior tried again, watching as Rebecca walked by and started unloading a bag onto the desk.

“Here you are, ma’am,” Rebecca chirped, handing Ms. Drake a new honey dipper. That finally got Junior to look at the jar, recognizing Pamela’s mark on it.

“You!” Junior snarled, taking a step forward until Ms. Drake spoke.

“I see you have seen my assistant. One of her duties is checking GED operation sites to make sure the equipment and employees are working properly. That includes your property,” Ms. Drake said stiffly before she dipped the honey dipper into the gold jar, slowly pulling it out and watching it slowly drip. Junior was almost sure she was doing it seductively on purpose, sticking a finger in and licking the drop of sweet amber from her pale skin.

“This is my favorite honey,” Ms. Drake purred before looking back at Junior.

“Now, Mr. Buttergood, I do believe an investigation and revisit to our contract is in order. Should you not be found guilty of a breach in contract and embezzlement GED will no longer require your input on the construction of the bridge,” Ms. Drake said, staring at Junior critically, appraising him. He could tell she was not impressed. 

“She’s the reason the bridge hasn’t been built!” Junior argued, furious.

“On the contrary I have been advising your brother on how to build the bridge, as well as meeting with an actual bridge builder,” Rebecca said smartly, holding back a smirk from her expression but not her voice. It helped that she was telling the truth, she had at some point done both of those things. 

“Expect a call from my lawyers, and you will provide Miss Lightknight and any other investigators with full access,” Ms. Drake informed Junior Buttergood, teasingly playing with the honey dipper, bobbing it in her coffee.

“Why- you-! You-!” Junior stammered, glaring between Ms. Drake and Rebecca. Both of them were cunts but which one did he hate more? At the moment is was hard to decide. 

“You may leave now,” Ms. Drake hinted with no amount of subtly. Junior grit his teeth, not moving fast enough. Rebecca touched a button on the wall.

“Security, would you kindly remove Junior Buttergood from the premises, please?” Rebecca asked over the intercom, making Junior huff and leave. Security still grabbed him roughly and shoved him out though.

“Your favorite honey?” Rebecca asked with a teasing voice, now alone with Ms. Drake. 

“It’s so sweet I hate it,” Ms. Drake grimaced, “but the look on his face was worth it.”

“I should get you another coffee, then?” Rebecca asked, looking at the black coffee with honey in it.

“Yes,” Ms. Drake almost slipped up and said please, but Rebecca said nothing about it, smiling and seeing herself out.


	4. Chapter 4

After getting positively lost in Jorvik City Junior finally found the store he was looking for. It couldn’t be a nice easy to find modern store with a proper sign out front, oh no, it had to be some tiny shamble stuck in an alley that no one knew about. 

It was a little bookshop, covered in dust and cobwebs. Junior was sure no one had been inside for a century, and the man at the counter looked just as old and abandoned. 

“I’m looking for the Cranepoulos siblings?” Junior asked, the old man raising a thick eyebrow. Junior couldn’t tell if it was thick from hair or from dust.

“Who’s lookin’,” the old man asked, curious when Junior gave him a folded sheet of paper.

“My father wants some merchandise,” Junior explained, not liking the snort the old man offered when he looked at the list.

“Buttergood, ehh? Been a while since we’ve dealt with that family,” the man muttered.

“How did-”

“I can tell. This is a tall order, and pricey,” he cut off Junior.

“Money is no object,” Junior said proudly. The old man snorted.

“Money can’t buy this,” he chuckled, “but Buttergoods have history, and Valdemar makes a decent offer. We’ll send it when it is ready,” the man said as he folded away the paper into a pocket.

“But-”

“Why don’t you look at some books? You can use that money on them,” the man smirked, Junior snorting and leaving. 

At least one thing had gone right today, Daddy would be happy about that. But what was Daddy getting from such weird people?

And how the fuck did Junior get out of this place, these alleys made no sense.


	5. Chapter 5

Scott was still adjusting to how Rebecca’s horses seemed… different. All the girls’ horses seemed different for that matter, maybe smarter was the word for it. He knew it had to do with their magic, though the details were fuzzy. Something about Aideen’s Blessing. Whatever it was, it meant Dawn didn’t need any instructions. Rebecca just told Dawn where to go and Dawn took him to the bangalow.

It wasn’t a good thing, not with the thoughts coming back.

The bangalow. Rebecca had told the others, they were probably waiting there for him. 

He didn’t want to see them. He didn’t want to be reminded. 

Dawn snorted and tossed her head, waiting for him to dismount. They had reached the bangalow a few minutes ago but Scott had remained stiff and motionless in the saddle. 

He recognized the other horses grazing around the house, though he wasn’t sure of their names. So many horses, so many names. There was a grey one he was pretty sure was Saga, Justin at least was easy with only two horses. And Lisa with Starshine. But the other girls had so many, how did they keep track?

He couldn’t tell if Connie or Tor were here since they didn’t ride. Ydris was always a toss up, sometimes he brought his horse but usually he left Zee at the circus. Something about magical time bubbles that Scott never understood. 

But Justin was definitely here, as well as the girls. Except Rebecca, wherever she went to. 

The palomino mare stomped a hoof, encouraging Scott to get off.

Out of habit Scott knocked on the door and waited a moment, listening to the noises inside. Sounded like they were just waking up, it wasn’t too long after dawn after all. He let himself in, satisfied he wouldn’t get a shoe thrown at him. 

He didn’t see his stuff anywhere, but the main room was set up for sleepover mode. Which meant all the cushions had been taken off the chairs and couches and put on the ground to make an impromptu bed. Anna, Connie, Tor, and Justin were all piled on the floor, Louisa and Lisa had the bed, and Ydris was sitting at the table, apparently not sleeping. 

“Mornin’!” sleepy voices greeted Scott as the group began to wake up. Some of them at least.

“Where’s my shit?” Scott grumbled, sitting at the table with Ydris.

“Pick a card,” Ydris said with a grin, displaying a deck of cards in a flourish.

“Fuck off,” Scott hissed but grabbed a card anyway. He wasn’t surprised when he saw his shit on the card.

“Easier to carry,” Ydris said with a shrug, not taking offense.

“How are you?” Justin asked, getting up and walking over to Scott.

“Don’t,” Scott snapped, jerking away from Justin and glaring at him. Justin was not as good at brushing off the hostility as Ydris.

“Scott…” Justin tried again, reaching for him.

“Don’t!” Scott shouted, slamming his fist on the table, “don’t FUCKING touch me!”

“Whoswha-?” Lisa jerked up, the noise startling her awake. Louisa patted her on the head and gently pushed her back down.

“Scott, we’re baking you a feel better cake when we’re awake,” Louisa informed him, staying on the bed. It was cuddle time and Scott was being a grump.

“I don’t want any fucking cake,” Scott grumbled, rubbing his face, “and how do I get my shit out of this fucking card?”

“Then what do you want, little one?” Ydris asked. Justin sat back down on the makeshift bed, watching Scott. 

“I want my shit!” Scott snarled. With a snap from Ydris the card in Scott’s hand shimmered and flashed, all of Scott’s belongings from the toolshed appearing on the floor. Connie lifted his head, confused about waking up next to a computer. 

“Happy?” Ydris asked, not surprised when Scott groaned and covered his face with his hands.

“I’m angry,” Scott muttered.

“At your family?” Justin asked from the floor.

“At you!” Scott’s accusation made them all look at him, bewildered. 

“At Justin?” Louisa asked for clarification.

“All of you! Carpet munching faggots!”

That caused an uproar of shock and insult.

“I was perfectly fine before I met you guys!” Scott continued, shouting and standing and jerking his head back and forth to glare at everyone, “but no you disgusting fucks did something to me! I was normal and you all ruined my life!”

“Now that’s some internalized homophobia,” Louisa muttered with a wince.

“Shut up fucking lesbitch!” 

There was silence before:

“Dude.”  
“RUDE.”  
“That was uncalled for!”  
“Apologize. Now.”  
“Scott!”  
“You need to apologize!”

“Apologize?! For what!” Scott demanded, “I’m a fucking Buttergood! I don’t apologize for SHIT! And you can all go to fucking hell for all I care! Whatever fucking queer witch magic you did to me I want undone!”

“We didn’t do anything to you, dumbass!” Anna snapped, not happy to be woken up to this.

“Well I wasn’t- I’m not a- This is all your fault! None of this would have happened to me if it weren’t for any of you!”

“None of us suggested you should fuck guys,” Anna snorted, crossing her arms and glaring at him from the floor.

“I-”

“Are you going to talk to us or are you going to keep yelling?” Justin interrupted, “if you’re going to be an ass I have better things to do, like breakfast.”

“But-”

“Oh breakfast! We should make something!” Anna said, now ignoring Scott’s fussing like he was a toddler throwing a fit.

“Weren’t we going to do pancakes?” Louisa asked, getting out of bed followed shortly by Lisa.

“What-”

“I can make-” Ydris began before Louisa cut him off.

“No! I want to make them, not conjure them!” Louisa stopped Ydris.

“The fuck! What is wrong with you people!?” Scott screamed, “why are you ignoring me?!”

“Because you’re being an ass, duh. When you grow up and apologize and talk things out like a mature adult we’ll enjoy pancakes together and talk,” Anna snorted, following the other girls to the kitchen.

“Like a- I am a man! I don’t need this disrespect!” Scott demanded, stomping his foot for emphasis. 

“Eesh, you sound like Junior,” Justin muttered, noticing Scott’s face go grey.

“I am not-! Don’t you fucking ever! EVER! Compare me to him!” they realized they had hit close to the real issue as Scott stomped over to Justin.

“I am NOT like that- that- monster! That fucking sadist creep!” Scott continued, hate and rage boiling over inside, “that fucking jackass jealous bastard son of a monster! He deserves to rot in hell! I’ll fucking send him to hell myself! I’ll make sure he regrets ever fucking TOUCHING me! He and his precious daddy, I’ll rip them apart! I’ll make them fucking beg for death! Oooh I’ll destroy them, ruin them and everything they’ve ever given two shits about! They want me to be a Buttergood I’ll be the fucking best Buttergood there ever was! They’ll never question my manliness or strength again! Not when they are chained and broken and begging for merciful death!”

Now they all had a feeling there was some resentment in Scott over what happened, and Buttergoods were known for nasty tempers, Scott grew up trying to survive it and learn to control his. But watching him pace and twitch as he ranted about how he was going to murder his brother and father was more than they expected. 

The door clicked open, Rebecca coming in.

“And you!” Scott snarled, turning on her when he heard her enter, “you can stay the fuck away from me!”

Rebecca blinked and closed the door, looking at the others and asking, “so how is it going?”

“He was talking about how he was going to murder his brother and father,” Ydris said cheerily.

“They deserve it! They deserve to die over and over again! And you’re the reason this whole mess started! Stay away from me or else I’ll make you pay!” Scott threatened, Rebecca not minding as she dug a jar out of her bag and showed it to him.

“You think some fucking honey will make it all better!?” Scott demanded.

“It’s Pamela’s honey,” Rebecca said matter-of-factly.

“Who fucking cares!”

“I bought all of it.”

“Why the fuck does that matter?!”

“Valdemar is out of honey. Pamela won’t have more for at least a week.”

Scott, despite it all, snorted. The sheer pettiness of it was amusing to him, and he barked a laugh. The laughter continued until he could barely breath as he imagined how much trouble Junior would be in and how angry Valdemar would be. And then he was crying. Before he could stop it he was gulping air and rubbing his face and swearing that no he was a man and men don’t cry men don’t show weakness he was not weak Buttergoods can’t be weak.

He didn’t know when he fell to his knees, weeping into his hands. He didn’t know who tried to touch him on the shoulder only to pull away when he jerked and cried out in pain, begging to be ignored, don’t look, don’t watch, don’t see, don’t touch, please don’t touch, he couldn’t bear to be touched. Not when he wanted to burn his skin off and remove every part of him that Junior had touched. Whatever it took to make him feel clean again. 

With a bit of work his friends wrapped him in a blanket, Scott didn’t seem bothered by fabric touching him, and got him to the bed. With a bit of magic from Ydris the area around the bed dimmed, letting Scott zone out in a softer light. He lapsed into silence, numb.

While breakfast was being made Lisa sat near the bed, quiet and casting waves of soothing energy over Scott. 

The smell of eggs and syrup, among other prominent breakfast scents, coaxed Scott back to awareness. He was immediately hit by guilt and embarrassment. 

“Wakey wakey,” Lisa said as she stood, sensing as he became alert once more. Scott felt his face burn, what he had said to Louisa? Something awful, though now he couldn’t remember the details. He said so many awful things…

“Scott, you want eggs?” oh god of course it was Becca. He winced at her soft voice. When had she come over to him?

“Uh, n-no, I’m fine,” he muttered, not turning to look at her.

“Can you try to eat something? I’ll feel better knowing you have some food in you,” she asked.

“Yeah…” he murmured, rolling over but keeping his face down. How could he look at any of them?

“Feeling better?” Justin called, Scott wincing again at how nice the voice was.

“Yeah,” Scott said as he sat up, watching Rebecca as she walked away. They were setting up breakfast on the cushions, Ydris making floating tables because of course he was. 

“I, uh, can I,” Scott stammered, feeling very self conscious and unwelcome. All he could do was stare down at his feet, how manly and strong of him. He closed his eyes, trying to banish those thoughts. Manliness and strength and never showing weakness was how his family had turned into the nightmare that it was. It’s how he had grown up into a husk of a human, feeling nothing but anger and bitterness. 

He was broken from his thoughts by a tissue appearing in front of him, making him look up, surprised it was Connie offering him the tissue.

“Won’t you join us?” Connie asked with a smile. Scott nodded and accepted the tissue, wiping his face and blowing his nose. He had a pounding headache from all the crying, and felt lightheaded when he stood up.

“I’m sorry,” Scott admitted when the lightheadedness passed, “what happened wasn’t the fault of anyone here, and taking it out on you was… a dick move. I don’t deserve- I said such horrible things, I’m- I’m just as bad as-” he stammered, trailing off as guilt and panic set in.

“None of that,” Connie stopped him and gestured, “come on, sit with us!” Connie beckoned as he returned to the cushions.

“But I-!” Scott started, looking up and seeing Louisa, “oh fuck, Louisa I’m so sorry, that was- god I was awful to all of you, I-”

“And you apologized, you’re already a better person than those dicks,” Louisa interjected, trying to put his mind at ease, “now come,” she patted the cushion she was sitting on.

Scott hesitantly approached, wary.

“We’ll avoid touching you until you are comfortable with it, okay?” Rebecca promised. Scott made to sit down before he realized he hadn’t washed his hands after sobbing like an infant.

“Be right back!” he promised, dashing into the kitchen to wash his hands and face.

“Glad you are recovering,” Tor murmured his relief to Scott before he left the kitchen with the last plate of food.

“So am I,” Scott whispered. He didn’t feel better. He was still so angry at his family and at himself. But he could forget that, just for a bit, with his friends. 

Once he was cleaned up he returned to his friends, joining them on the ground, taking a plate and helping himself to the food. There was still a lot of things to figure out, like what he was going to do now and where he was going to live, but for now it was just good food with better friends.


End file.
